Four Seasons, Four Loves
by AvocadoLove
Summary: They met in winter as enemies. Spring brought about a truce of sorts. In summer there was forgiveness and separation. And everything good happened in Fall. Zuko/Sokka SLASH.
1. Winter

**Notes:** I wrote this a few weeks ago for the fabulous JadePrince in the ATLA slash swap. Now that it's over I get to post it. Yea! Thank you to Ali for the beta!

This is going to be in a four part series. The first is the longest, and the others will be uploaded in the next couple of days. Comments & Crit always welcome!

Please heed the **MATURE** warnings.

* * *

**Winter: Water**

"Hey! Hey! I'm with the Avatar. I'm on your side, here!" Sokka had only a vague idea about how whiny and petulant he sounded at that moment, but really, who could blame him? This was ridiculous.

Maybe on another occasion he would have taken some pride in fact that even with his hands tied with a firm knot behind his back, they felt the need to surround him by a veritable ring of burly earthbenders, each about two feet taller than himself. Now he was just annoyed.

One of the men in back grunted and shoved Sokka viciously forward. "Yeah, right. You Fire Nation spies all sound the same."

"I was not spying! I was hunting! I'm Water Tribe. Wa-ter Tribe," he repeated slowly, just in case the men needed help getting it through their thick skulls. "Do you not see the blue clothing?"

"General Fong will see about that." The earthbenders paused, and between the gaps of their thick bodies, Sokka could just make out a metal box-like structure. To his eyes it looked like a large upraised coffin with a small, barred window for air. He recoiled, instinctively, but the man in front was already playing with the lock.

"Looks like you've got company, Princy," one of the men cackled.

_What?_ Sokka thought. But the door swung open, and with a vicious shove, Sokka was pushed inside. Immediately his boots caught something soft and uneven. He heard a yelp, and Sokka fell against the side of the box as the legs he had accidentally stepped on jerked away. The door slammed shut, but Sokka had already caught a glimpse of the other prisoner.

"AHH!" The Water Tribe boy tried to scuttle away, keeping his face averted in case of an angry fire blast.

No fire erupted, although it wasn't Sokka's imagination that the air around him suddenly became dryer and a few degrees higher.

The prince of the Fire Nation growled something inaudible low in his throat, and kicked viciously at the door of the metal box, creating a loud echoing clang that made Sokka's ears hurt. Distantly outside they both heard the laughter of the earthbenders before they moved away.

The enclosure was small and even pressing himself up against the far side, Sokka couldn't keep from brushing against the other boy. He shifted around, trying to ease the sharp pressure from his knees — accidentally bumping Zuko again in the process, electing a growl from the prince. He wondered why he wasn't being attacked, but as his vision became adjusted to the dim light he saw the reason; Zuko's hands were bound up over his head, wrists tied to a steel peg attached to the back wall of their small box. It looked extremely uncomfortable.

The prince's eyes seemed to glitter in the darkness, and Sokka could see a shadow of a bruise against his smooth head. "What are you looking at, peasant?"

"Just an idiot trapped in a box."

Zuko's upper lip curled in a snarl. "If you're here, the Avatar is close by." There was something predatory in Zuko's tone. His voice was graveled in a way that made the hair on the back of Sokka's neck stand up on end. "Where is he?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Yes you are. Where is he?!"

"Make me."

Zuko lunged for him, but was held back by his restraints. Yelling in frustration, he kicked again at the door — only because he couldn't quite angle himself to reach Sokka himself.

The other boy let him rage, watching more or less in calm satisfaction as Zuko's tantrum spent itself out. It did, eventually, and the two sat in silence with only the sound of their breathing for company. But Sokka was never one to be idle for long. He leaned forward, studying the metal rivets and washers for any sign of decay; for a weak point.

"How often do they come to feed us?" asked Sokka, figuring that if he had to be trapped with Zuko, he might as well give him some useful information.

The prince was silent for so long that Sokka was starting to think he wouldn't get a response. Well, that was fine by him. Finally a low answer came from the darkness. "I don't know. They haven't… yet."

"I bet their food tastes bad anyway." He remembered very vividly the surprise feast thrown by crazy old King Bumi. Sokka considered himself a coinsurer of delicious foodstuffs, and the Earth Kingdom cooking had been… bland. Both lacking in spice and salt.

There wasn't an answer to this, other than an uncomfortable shifting back towards the other side of the box. The prince seemed to be trying to keep from touching him, but Sokka had already tried that. As much as he pressed himself against the far corner, he couldn't quite get away.

Sokka blew a breath of air out from the side of his mouth. "This is ridiculous. I'm on their side. I can see why they'd put you in here," he said, with a side long glance to the brooding prince. "But I'm a good guy!"

Zuko was quiet, save for more shifting around.

A gulf of silence stretched between them, and Sokka struggled to his feet to look out the small window slit set at head-height. There wasn't any movement from any direction, and he felt a cold chill settle in his stomach. What if the earthbenders just decided to leave them here, like this? In this box? It would be a long, slow death.

Sokka didn't want to die. He was too young to die. Plus, he really, really didn't want to die within touching distance of a firebender. With a sigh, he settled himself down on his side of the box, looking again to the metal rivets. "So… how'd you get here?"

No answer. Zuko had his head turned away, doing his best to ignore him.

"I was hunting," Sokka continued, as if he had gotten a reply. As if they were just two semi-strangers sitting in a box. As if Zuko was an actual human being with human emotions. "Which I'm good at, by the way. I'm the best hunter in my village—"

"Your village of women and children?" Zuko interrupted, flatly.

"Right," Sokka gave a nod, "and I'm the best, as I was saying. So there I was, hunting for Katara and Aang—"

"The Avatar eats meat?"

"Well, no." Sokka amended. Then, "Wait… how do you know that?"

The prince gave a shrug, awkward because his hands were tied over his head and his plated armor seemed to restrict his movement. "I've been hunting the Avatar for over two years. I've been to all the Air Temples, and I've picked up some Air Nomad lore. They don't eat meat."

"… Fine. So there I was, digging up roots for Aang and keeping my eye out for some _real _food for me and my sister. Then, I spotted it." He held silent then, waiting for Zuko to say something like, 'spotted what?', but the other boy said nothing, and so Sokka was forced to continue. "The biggest, meanest platypus bear I've ever seen. It could feed everyone — well, anyone who ate meat, for like, a month."

"You took on a platypus bear?" Sokka couldn't tell if Zuko's voice had respect, or disgust in it. Probably a little of both.

"Hey, I am a warrior of the Water Tribe. We fight to the last man standing." said Sokka. "So the bear started chasing me—" At this point, Zuko made a strange sound in the back of his throat that probably passed for a strangled laugh. Sokka didn't care, and started plowing forward. "But I had a plan, you see. I'm the plan guy of the group, just in case you didn't notice."

"… That explains a lot."

"I planned to find a high point; maybe a tree or a boulder and attack it from there. But… I sort of ran into the platoon of earthbenders. They chased my meal off, like complete jerks… and I wound up here." Sokka's shoulders slumped in defeat, and he glanced over. "What about you?"

There was another stretched silence, and then Zuko let out a let out a long sigh, tipping his head back to thunk lightly against the back wall. "We were on your trail — my uncle and I and the crew. We'd broken for camp for the night… he insisted because he was tired. I woke in the middle of the night. I had to…ah…"

"Pee?" Sokka guessed, with a grin. "It's okay. We do it in the Water Tribe, too."

Zuko shot him a dark look. "After I was done," he said, with a surprising amount of dignity, "I couldn't find my way back. I wasn't lost. I just — well, I ran into the earthbenders." He shrugged then, resting the side of his face against one raised arm. "I'm sure my uncle is looking for me. And when he finds me, we'll use you as bait for the Avatar."

What little pity, and slight spark of friendship Sokka might have been feeling for the firebender was wiped away in that moment. "Yeah, well I'm sure Aang and Katara are looking for me. And once they do, I'll leave you to my sister. Maybe she'll tie _you _to a tree this time."

"I didn't hurt her," he said, after a long moment. "That wasn't my intension."

"I don't care." Suddenly, Sokka felt like kicking him again. His hands were just bound behind his back. He could twist about and do it, but that wouldn't be right. "How would you like it if you had a sister and I tied her to a tree. Do you have any idea—"

He had to stop then, because Zuko was laughing — actually laughing — loud enough so that his voice seemed to echo over and over again in their little prison. It wasn't a happy laugh, though. There was an undercurrent of bitterness and irony that made it seem like Zuko was more inclined to cry than laugh. Finally, catching his breath Zuko said, "I do have a little sister. She's — there's no way you ever be able to tie her to a tree."

Sokka still felt a little vicious. After all, he had died a hundred little deaths worrying about her, and that was before hearing she had been tied up. "Why? Too fat?"

"No. She's a firebending prodigy."

"Huh." He sent a sidelong glance in Zuko's direction. "I would have thought you were an only child. You know, the whole spoiled prince thing…"

Something dark crossed the other boy's features, and he looked away saying simply, "No."

And then there was another long, drawn out silence.

Sokka's legs were cramping and he did his best to stretch them, putting them up against the far wall so as not to have to drape them over Zuko. "So, we've talked about food, sisters, and how we've got here. What else do you have?"

"Don't you ever shut up, Water Tribe?"

"No. Why?"

Zuko was quiet again and when Sokka glanced at him, he could see a strange expression on his face; his eyes half lidded in concentration, grimacing in pain. His bound fingers were digging into the ropes over his head. He was trying to prize the thick cords free, and Sokka could see how his fingernails had become torn and bloodied in the process. It looked like he had been at this for sometime, and Sokka hadn't noticed before. Despite himself, he felt a small wave of pity.

"How long have you been in here?"

"Too long." Zuko grunted, pushing past the pain to dig into the ropes again. "The ropes are fireproof."

Watching him, wincing as he saw a new well of blood trickled from one of the prince's fingernails, an idea for escape came to Sokka; a crazy, stupid idea like most of them, but one he was sure could work. "If I get your hands free," he said and Zuko stopped his desperate clawing to stare at him, "What assurances do I have that you won't melt my face off?"

"I don't need your help, peasant!" he snapped, and his harsh and angry voice seemed to echo again and again in their tiny cage.

Sokka sat back, watching him struggle, watching him kick again at the door in anger when his desperate efforts didn't work. He could almost feel Zuko's frustration boiling off of him into the stuffy air of their box. Sokka met it calmly, watching him, awaiting his answer.

Finally the firebender stopped, his head hanging low, ponytail dusting down over one shoulder. "My honor," he said, at last. "You have it on my honor I won't hurt you." He lifted his head, and his glittering golden eyes met Sokka, truth and determination on his face. "That ends once we're free of the earthbenders."

"Yeah. Sure. Fine." It was more than Sokka could have hoped for, anyway. His hands, tied behind his back, were getting more swollen and painful by the minute anyway. He scooted around so that his back faced the door. Then, inching to the side, he threw one leg over Zuko's, effectively straddling his legs.

The other boy's reaction would have been funny, if the situation weren't so serious. His unburned eye widened — the other, Sokka noticed for the first time, seemed to be set in a permanent unmoving glare. "What are you doing?!" he hissed, jerking up, and a ridge of his armor hit the inside of Sokka's thigh, dangerously close to some important parts.

Sokka yelped and threw his shoulder into Zuko's collar, putting his whole weight behind it and effectively pinning the other boy down. "Relax," he told him, and his mouth was very close to the other boy's unburned ear. "I'm a professional."

Something strange happened to Zuko's body under him. He sort of twitched, sort of shivered. "At what, exactly?" he rasped.

"At getting out of stupid enemy traps." Sokka held him there for a few more moments, until he was certain that Zuko wasn't going to try to hit him in the balls again. Sokka leaned back, forcing on one of his cockiest grins. He imagined that this would be awkward, but now that he was here — nearly straddling Zuko's legs, it felt a thousand times worse.

So he decided he had better start now and get this over with.

He flexed up, taking a very close look at the knot above Zuko's head. The rope was twisted around a metal peg in the wall. Zuko's own red blood had messed it up, but even in the dim light Sokka recognized the style of the knot. It was one that his father had shown him — and luck was with him. It would take some time, but he was certain he could work it free.

Taking a deep breath, with his hands clenched behind his back, Sokka leaned forward and started working at the knot with his teeth.

He was conscious every second of the body under him. Zuko hadn't said anything more; it looked like was trying to melt himself up against the back wall to keep from touching Sokka. It was impossible. They were nearly pressed together, and Sokka could feel his hot breath, coming in short gasps, spill across his collarbone. He could feel every small shift of Zuko's legs beneath his own, and the way his fingers twitched… fingers that could easily shoot fire, and they were an inch away from his jaw.

That gave Sokka a pause and he rocked back again. "One more condition," he said, forcing himself to keep his voice light, "We never tell anyone about this. Ever."

Zuko gave a strangled sound of agreement, and for some reason his eyes wouldn't meet Sokka's own.

Sokka went again to his work, but Zuko kept shifting around under him, his thighs brushing against Sokka's thighs, twisting his head right and left as if to find a position where they no longer touched — yet they did, accidentally. A brush of his chin against Sokka's chest, a slight knock there against the inside of his thighs, and it was… distracting.

"What's taking you so long?" Zuko demanded, finally. His fingers flexed, brushing past Sokka's nose, and the other boy had had enough.

Sighing, Sokka sat back, putting his whole weight on the other boy and sitting on his legs again. Zuko sort of twitched a second time and — Sokka couldn't quite explain it, but suddenly he became aware, even more than he was before, about how his own thighs were clamped around Zuko's hips, how their chests were touching and how hot his breath felt puffing against his neck. Sokka meant to jerk away, and when he moved his knee slipped and his groin brushed against the hard heat of Zuko's hip.

A rush of pleasure, as strong as a punch to the gut, rocked Sokka unexpectedly. He gasped before he could stop himself, and when his eyes met Zuko's the other boy saw what happened.

"Get off me." Zuko's voice was calm; deadly.

Sokka swallowed hard, and resisted the urge to wet his lips again. "No. I'm finishing with the knot." He wasn't almost done, but Sokka hated to stop a project once he started it, and besides it was their only way out. He flexed up again, but now he could hardly concentrate. His body was aware of every second how close, and oddly arousing this would have been… if Zuko was a girl. His cheeks were heated. He could feel Zuko's body pressed against his chest, and he leaned ever so slightly into the other boy's body heat, sure that Zuko wouldn't notice.

He did notice, and the breath on his neck became noticeably hotter. "What are you doing, Water Tribe?" Zuko muttered, against his collarbone.

"Getting off… the rope— off your hands, I mean." His legs tightened at his own slip, and it took every once of self control not to press his now aching groin down…

But then Zuko had shifted again, leaned back and moved his hips slightly upwards, and it just took the slightest move on Sokka's part to press down. It was hot friction, not even that comfortable against Sokka's erection, but then Zuko groaned quietly, muffling the sound in his neck and that… that was hot.

The boys moved again, muscles flexing almost on their own to repeat the sensation. Sokka hissed in Zuko's ear, and then on impulse, nipped the lobe. A whole other shiver went through the body under him, and Sokka delighted in the feeling — both the pulse of pleasure, and the strange warped sense of power.

He shook his head, trying to get back on track, and reached again for the knot, but that just exposed his neck and a second later he felt Zuko's teeth rasp, ever so slightly against the arch of it. The touch seemed to go right to his crotch and Sokka shuddered, grinding down again.

Sokka's thoughts came in a confused jumble. _His hands are tied up. Mine are too, but he can't stop me… he's not trying too… he's tied up, and I can do anything I want, and he's not trying to stop me…_

The knot would have to wait. There were more pressing things — literally pressing in Zuko's case, Sokka could feel a new hardness under his thighs. Sokka focused on moving around that point, and Zuko hissed and flexed, rising up to Sokka's pleasure.

The two boys found an angle that they wanted and ground against one another. It was hard, in more ways than one, and awkward. Sokka kept meeting resistance against Zuko's plated armor, and he cursed it under his breath, wishing that he had his hands free—

And Zuko twisted somehow, bringing a leg up and around so that he braced it against the metal door. The bottom of the armor kept jarring painfully against Sokka's stomach, but he didn't care.

Zuko growled something and at once their mouths crashed together – teeth clicking, just as awkward and hot and at the wrong angle as the rest of their movements. Sokka felt his tongue slide against Zuko's and when he thrust forward he hit a particularly good spot and the other boy moaned in his mouth — needy and high. Sokka did it again just to hear him do it.

He was so involved he hardly noticed how sweaty his palms were — indeed the whole box had become uncomfortably warm. Suddenly Sokka realized he had more freedom of movement with his hands. Either his captors hadn't tied it very well, or the sweat had loosened the bonds, or a little of both, but with a rough jerk the rope came loose and able to bring his own arms around to steady himself.

"What—" Zuko startled, half alarmed, half annoyed that the other boy had gotten free.

"Do you want me to stop?" Sokka didn't want to stop, and he put a hand between them, covering the slight distance between their two erections. Zuko arched into the touch, his eyes nearly rolling into his head. After their pained, awkward rutting this felt like ecstasy.

Sokka braced one hand against the far wall and kissed him hard, being sure to twist his tongue in the other's mouth before they both had to pull away for air. The firebender gasped, dragging his lips down Sokka's neck to the point of his pulse at his collar and the message was clear: sex now, escape later.

Sokka closed his eyes, trying to bring up the will to fumble for the catches in their pants — he couldn't do it. His fingers were too swollen from being tied, his mind too scattered and dazed from all the new sensations. He settled for hooking one arm around the other boy, and with the other jacking one of Zuko's knees up against his waist.

Each pant was rough, each jerk against one another desperate, and Sokka knew he was going to have bruises all around his stomach tomorrow from the way Zuko's stupid armor kept jabbing into him. But finally a tremor overtook the boy under him. Zuko's teeth were grit, his golden eyes glassy. "Harder," he gasped, and the leg around Sokka tightened, heel digging into his ass.

Feeling charitable, Sokka brought his hands between them again and daringly grabbed Zuko's erection. He was so hard he could feel every line, every vein even through the layers of clothing. The firebender moaned and arched up, nearly writhing against his palm. Sokka watched, mouth half open, just about as aroused as he had ever been in his life. He wanted to prolong this, but he didn't know how. Zuko was panting, aching, and Sokka bent over to suck at his pale neck, thrusting against him just as hard, feeling Zuko's erection twitch in his hand.

"Ah…. Please…" Zuko's unscarred cheek pressed against Sokka's neck. He was moaning, nearly keening. Then there was a muffled cry, and his body shook so hard that Sokka thought the whole box would shake along with him. But the bloom of heat under him told Sokka all he needed to know.

The thought of_ that_ occurring was enough to tip him over the edge, and he came, fingers digging into Zuko's hip hard enough to be painful, hand transferring over to rub himself to prolong the waves of pleasure.

He slumped down, finally, only to drag himself up a moment later and fumble around Zuko's knot. He had done a good deal with his mouth, and it only took a few moments to free the other boy's hands. Zuko groaned again, this time in pure relief and Sokka rolled away… at least as much as he could in this box.

"Well," said Sokka, after a moment, and then realized he didn't really have anything to say after that.

Zuko grunted in agreement, rubbing at his reddened wrists.

The mood wasn't awkward; it was too exhausted to be awkward. Absently, Sokka readjusted the wraps around his wrists and redid his wolfs-tail. He caught Zuko watching him, out of the corner of his eye, and gave him a cheeky, completely unabashed grin.

Zuko rolled his head away to stare at the far wall.

Then, without any warning at all, the door opened up bringing with it a flood of light and a joyful cry of, "Sokka!"

Sokka tried to throw his hand up against the sudden influx of sun, but a moment later he was being hugged and he could barely register Katara's words, they were coming so fast from her mouth. "Oh Sokka, thank goodness! We didn't know where you went!"

"Uncle?" someone was hugging Zuko as well, and he sounded just about as dazed as Sokka felt.

Looking over his sister's shoulder, Sokka could see the scattered remains of the earthbending camp. Appa was a white bulk somewhere off in the distance. It was amazing he had missed hearing the fighting, but he had been, ah, a little busy.

Speaking of that, he carefully disengaged Katara and sat up, quickly pushing down his long tunic to cover up anything that would raise awkward questions. But Katara had taken him by the wrist and was trying to tug him away, sending confused looks at Zuko and Iroh and probably wondering why they weren't attacking them. Sokka didn't have the energy to explain about the momentary truce.

"Oh hi, Sokka!" No sooner then he had stumbled to Appa's side than Aang floated down, greeting him with a cheery grin. "We had to team up with the firebenders to get you out. Are you okay? You look a little… red."

"Me? I'm good. Never better." He forced a laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing behind him. But Zuko had been led off by his uncle. It was time to leave.

He forced himself not to look back again as Appa lifted from the ground and took them above the clouds.

* * *

**Next: Spring brought about a truce of sorts.**


	2. Spring

**Spring: Earth**

**

* * *

  
**

"Uncle?" Zuko asked, but didn't get any answer.

His fingers stilled on the bandaging, and he made himself back away. He had taken their least filthy of shirts and wrapped up the horrible burn wound as much as he could. After dragging his uncle to one of the few houses in this ghost town that was not burning, Zuko set him up on a cot, and dosed Iroh heavily with old wine so he wouldn't be in pain.

As bad as the wound was, it had been at least clean and neat, which was classic Azula. But a few inches to the right or left, and it could have hit something vital. Zuko could have lost him… forever. This was exactly the reason why he wanted to part ways. Together they drew more attention.

Yet Uncle had saved him…

Zuko clenched his fists so hard he felt his nails bite into his flesh. In the end he had teamed up with the Avatar and his cronies against Azula. She was right. He was a traitor, and he should be hating himself right now. But the only thing he regretted was that his sister had gotten away.

Almost as if the spirits themselves were listening to his thoughts, a shadow crossed over the open doorway. At once Zuko whirled around, fist cocked and ready to shoot fire.

He expected Azula.

He got the Water Tribe peasant instead.

Zuko didn't lower his fist. "What are you doing here?"

The other boy didn't wince at death staring him straight in the face. That always secretly amazed Zuko, how this nonbending idiot could exist next to masters and still hold his head up high as if he were equal to them. "I thought you could use some help," Sokka said, unslinging a pack from his shoulder and dangling it with an outstretched hand, as if in a peace offering.

"Where are the others? Where is the Avatar?"

"Sleeping. And no, I'm not going to tell you where."

That phrase had been uttered before between them, and Zuko remembered very vividly where. It made a blush of heat crawl up his neck, but the tension was broken and he lowered his fist in slow inches.

Sokka took that as a cue, and sauntered over to Uncle's cot. Without a glance of permission he undid the loose wrapping and checked the wound, whistling in between his teeth when he saw the damage. "I knew it was bad, but…"

A surge of guilt made Zuko's chest tighten. He should have guessed what Azula was about to do. He should have been able to stop her, but in the three-way fight between him, Azula, and the Avatar… he had been the weak point. As always. "Do you have a reason for being here, peasant?"

"I sure do. If you're smart, you'll let my sister look at this. She can heal, you know, with water."

Zuko grit his teeth. He was not going to let some barbarian woman paw over his uncle. "He needs actual medical care."

"Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say." Sokka dropped his pack on the table, turned his back on Zuko as if he didn't consider him a threat, and started unpacking it. "Here." The first thing out was a full waterskin.

Zuko's tongue felt stuck to the roof of his mouth in thirst — all of the wells in his ghost town had long since dried up, but he still hesitated until Sokka pushed it towards him with a roll of his eyes. "I poisoned it myself, if you're wondering," he said, dryly. "Drink it."

The water was cool and crisp, and Zuko drank deeply, despite his resolve not to appear desperate. The waterskin was half empty by the time he was sated, and, after wiping his mouth on his sleeve he noticed that Sokka had unpacked the rest: clean white bandaging, a thread and needle, and some dark moss.

Sokka flashed him a grin. "Luckily for you, not only am I a skilled hunter _and_ a brave warrior, I happen to be pretty good at first aid, too."

"Where did you learn? Out in the snowy wastes that you call a home?"

"Is there a better place to learn first aid?"

Zuko hesitated, feeling extremely torn. He didn't want Sokka somehow messing something up… this was his uncle. But at the same time, he had to admit he didn't know what else to do. It wasn't like cleaning wounds had been part of his training. He always had a physician on hand at the palace and on the ship.

Finally he gave a nod, crossing his arms over his chest.

Sokka ran his finger around the scorched skin, and then grabbed for the moss, popping it into his mouth and chewing absently. And then, to Zuko's utter horror, took a glob of whatever it was in his mouth and pushed it in the burn-wound.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Zuko reached forward to slap it out of his hand, but Sokka was clearly ready and spun around, catching his wrist in a strong grip. Abruptly Zuko was staring in his clear blue eyes.

"It's an antiseptic, and it's activated by saliva. See?" He took small bit and dabbed it on Zuko's hand. The spot started tingling faintly, and a medicinal smell drifted nose. Zuko didn't care. He wanted to punch the other boy, throw him out and tell him never to come back… to stop looking at him so fiercely. Memories he had tried to pass off or forget completely flashed in his mind… Sokka sweating, thrusting against him with his mouth parted…

Perhaps the Water Tribe boy was thinking the same thing. Perhaps that was why his cheeks were darkening. "I don't have a reason to hurt him," he said, quietly, but his grip was still tight on Zuko's wrist. "And unless that wound is cleaned he could lose that arm. I'm guessing that firebending one handed doesn't work that well."

Zuko saw the truth in his eyes, and wish he didn't. "If you hurt him," he said, at last. "I'll never stop hunting you, Sokka." It felt strange and powerful to say the other boy's name, and with his hand gripped so tightly, Sokka couldn't hide his shiver.

But he released his wrist and turned back to Zuko's uncle, saying flippantly, "And that would be different… how exactly?"

"Right now I'm hunting the Avatar."

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest, faintly pleased when he saw another shiver — this one of dread, going up Sokka's spine. But the other boy didn't respond, and Zuko contented himself with watching with suspicious eyes how Sokka carefully packed the rest of the antiseptic in, washed his mouth out with a small flask of water, and then carefully rewrapped the wound with some new bandaging he'd brought. To Zuko's annoyance, the wrapping was done both more neatly and more securely than he had been able to do.

"So… that was your sister, huh?" Sokka said, when he was at last finished, turning to him. "You were right, before. She really is a bitch."

"I never said—" He snapped his teeth shut over the next words, realizing too late that the other boy was baiting him. Two very conflicting feelings warred in Zuko's breast. The automatic knee-jerk reaction to defend his little sister, and the knowledge that Sokka didn't know the half of it. He settled for a scowl and walked past Sokka to put his hand on his uncle's forehead to check his temperature. It seemed to be fine, and Uncle's breathing was deep and steady.

Sokka's next words came out of the blue, and would ring in Zuko's mind for days afterwards. "You should come back with me."

"What?" He took a step back, despite himself.

"You joined us before. Against her."

Anger flared in his heart, and confusion because something inside him shivered and felt good at Sokka's words. He lashed out, turning, grabbing Sokka and shoving him with rough force against the wall.

The Water Tribe boy grunted with the impact, and everything after that seemed to happen so fast and so slow all at the same time. Zuko fisted Sokka's tunic, drawing his other fist back as if to wallop him right in the face. Sokka reached out, gripping him by the throat.

And they stayed like that, frozen, with eyes locked against one another.

Sokka, for some reason wasn't afraid. Any moment now Zuko was going to hit him. Any moment he was going to try to choke the life out of the firebender. The air between them almost seemed to crackle with impending violence.

Yet he could feel Zuko's pulse under his fingers. His heart was beating madly. The hand that fisted his gripped his tunic was trembling…

… And at once Sokka knew.

"Just tell me to stop," Sokka said, not daring to look away. "Just tell me no, and I'll stop."

Zuko didn't say anything. A deep frown etched his features, but Sokka wasn't going to wait around for him to figure it out. He closed the distance between them. Zuko jerked back, but didn't let go. Then his eyes slid shut to golden slits and abruptly he was the one kissing Sokka, shoving him again against the wall, entangling his tongue with his.

Sokka let him take control. His hand slid from Zuko's throat to the back of his neck, fingers digging in his hair, steadying him, demanding more.

The other boy groaned in his mouth, drawing back to nip sharply at Sokka's chin before kissing him again. Zuko's body was so tightly pressed against him Sokka could feel how tight his muscles were. He seemed more like a tightly wound spring than a person.

Sokka broke the kiss, if only to breathe. Zuko was gulping air, cheek pressed against his. He was shaking, although Sokka didn't know why.

"Come back with us," Sokka repeated.

Zuko growled again, snapping back as if he had been burned. "Are you insane?"

Sokka's eyes blazed, but his touch of his thumb across the other boy's cheek was unexpectedly soft. "Come with us," he repeated, again. "Just for a night. Aang's a good kid. We can help your uncle… come with _me_, Zuko."

And they were kissing again. It was different, so very different from the awkward, rushed kissing when they had been trapped together. Zuko could taste the lingering antiseptic in Sokka's mouth. His tongue, his breathy little grunts of air were just as persuasive as his words. Zuko's hands were free this time as well, and he ran them up Sokka's torso… he could feel the other boy's muscles move, and Zuko fisted his stupid blue tunic again, bringing them closer — crashing their mouths together.

Images and thoughts raced in Zuko's mind. He wanted to drag Sokka outside, lay him down on the warm-hard ground… take him right there. Or be taken, for Sokka's own fingers were dancing up around his ribs; a pleasant tingling sensation that seemed to shoot down to his groin. His calluses kept catching on Zuko's soft skin, and the firebender twitched, despite himself.

He felt Sokka's mouth curve into a smile, and the other boy pulled back. "Ticklish?"

Zuko stared into is blue eyes, heavy and dilated with lust. He was going to be lost, looking into those eyes. And this time there was no excuse…. None. He had been sure he was going to die, last time. Taken to Ba Sing Se and executed… what did he have to lose? Now he was doing this — in front of Uncle, no less…

A tiny bit of sanity sparked in his mind and he wrenched himself away; it was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. His legs felt like jelly. "Get out of here, Sokka." he growled, looking somewhere to the vicinity of the far corner. He couldn't look at the other boy. He just couldn't.

"Hey, wait…"

"GO!" Zuko punctuated the order with a fireblast aimed at Sokka's feet. He leapt away, which had been the intent. He only paused long enough to grab the empty bag and sprint out the door.

Zuko stood there for a very long time, watching the doorway. Sokka wasn't going to come back. He didn't want him to come back. Yet he couldn't bring himself to turn away – not until the shadows had grown long across the floor and Uncle was starting to twitch and murmur into wakefulness.

*******

**Next: In summer there was forgiveness and separation.**


	3. Summer

Notes: I shouldn't have to say it if you got this far, but please heed the **Mature** warnings for boylove. :)

*******

**Summer: Fire**

Sokka was glowering. Of course, he would never admit to it. If Aang or Toph pointed it out, he would have denied it vehemently and told them the truth: He was not upset. He just had a healthy suspicion of their newest firebending teacher. He was not glaring, he was not preoccupied, and he was definitely _not_ jealous.

Katara's bubbly laughter echoed off the temple walls, and Sokka visibly cringed.

His sister and Zuko had both drawn dish-duty tonight. Sokka had watched surreptitiously from the side, nodding to himself in approval when Katara had given her one-of-a-kind death glare at the firebender, and preceded to ignore him — even though the dish washing troughs were located side by side.

… Until Zuko had playfully flicked some soapy water in her direction, wetting her arm and returning her icy glance with what could only be a sheepish smile.

Never taunt an angry waterbender.

Now the ex-prince's wet hair was plastered to his skull, and he was palming water out of his eyes while Katara laughed — a laugh that sounded just a touch too high pitched and giggly for Sokka's ears.

Zuko seemed to shrug, wisps of steam floating up above his shoulders. But when he handed Katara a newly washed plate for her to dry, he bent in her direction, whispering something Sokka couldn't quite hear but which made his sister nod, and the frown lines disappeared off her face… just for a moment.

Sokka's glower deepened.

He watched — now sitting just outside his circle of friends, and sharpening his boomerang on a whetstone, while Zuko a seat place right next to Katara. And when he served everyone tea, Sokka couldn't help but notice that she only sniffed her cup once for poison.

Zuko flashed a grin, looking unaccountably smug.

Sokka's boomeranged slipped of the stone and his knuckles cracked against the ground hard enough to make him swear and shake his hand out. He had just gotten control of himself by the time Zuko came over with his tea-tray, and he was rather proud of his even tone of voice when he said, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

Zuko's eyes met his for a moment before he nodded and set down his platter. Sokka rose and led him away from the light and from the prying eyes of his friends and sister.

Neither one of them had brought up what had happened before. They hadn't spoken of it. Not once in the week since Zuko had joined to teach Aang firebending. Instead there had been other conversations; stilted, awkward things. Or more recently, nothing at all.

They reached the outer edge of the temple; a crumbled, remote outcropping thanks to Sparky Sparky Boom Man. By the time Sokka stopped and turned around to face the other boy, he was shaking. "What do you think you're doing?"

Zuko blinked, guilelessly. "Serving tea."

"Listen, buddy." Sokka poked a finger in Zuko's chest, and was more than a little surprised when the other boy stepped immediately back. "I don't know what you're playing at, but she… she's way out of your league."

"What?"

"My sister!" he snapped, waving his hands wildly back in her general direction. "I've seen how you are with her, how you smile and how you talk—"

"You're saying I can't talk to your sister?"

"No! Not with those… gooey eyes!"

Zuko just stared at him for a moment, arms crossed and good eye narrowed. "You're an idiot," he said, probably for about the tenth time since they had known each other.

"Yeah, well I'm an idiot with a boomerang." Sokka pulled his out, flourishingly. "And I know how to use it."

He expected for Zuko's temper to flare. He expected the other boy to snarl and challenge him to a duel to settle this little bit of honor. What he got instead was a soft snort and a roll of his eyes that somehow made his pale neck somehow gleam in the moonlight. "Is that supposed to be a joke?" But before Sokka could answer he asked, "Are you jealous?"

"What? No! I mean— no. Of course not." He shook his head, a little too quickly. Somehow he became aware how close, exactly, he was to the other boy. How dark and private it was around them both. Sokka's breath caught. This was not what he wanted to be thinking about. Zuko had made his decision — twice, in fact. Sokka had gotten the hint. Besides, he was still angry about… about all of it, actually. About Zuko telling him to leave when he could have stayed. About his betrayal in the caves under Ba Sing Se.

So Sokka shook his head again, waiving a hand. "You're too paranoid." He took a step back, forgetting how close to the edge he actually was.

His heel met nothing but air, and he lost his balance, desperately pin wheeling his arms…

… and Zuko's hand shot out, clutching the front of his tunic and hauling him back to balance again.

"Be careful," Zuko breathed, somehow right in his ear.

The other boy blanched, his heart racing from the close call, and then realized that Zuko's arms were holding his own. He wrenched away, stepping back to firmer ground. "Don't think this makes us even, Sparky," he said, using Toph's favorite nickname for the firebender. "I'm still mad at you."

Zuko looked away, and for the first time Sokka got the feeling that his words had actually had an impact. He looked hurt. "I know," he said, and his voice was sullen.

He could do it. He could walk away right now and join the circle around the fire and let Zuko think about his words. He had gotten the message about Katara, and really, it was all that needed to be said.

Except for the fact that it wasn't.

"You came back to help Aang learn firebending." The rest of the words were left, unspoken but heavy in the air between them. _It had nothing to do with me, did it?_

Zuko's jaw tightened, but he was meeting Sokka's gaze again. "What I did in Ba Sing Se was… it was the worst thing I had ever done, Sokka. I betrayed my uncle, I betrayed myself, and I helped throw this world into greater unbalance. I have to do everything I can to fix it… even if it means putting up with your sister so she starts trusting me."

"Oh." Sokka's throat felt unexpectedly tight, which was stupid because he had firmly told himself over and over again that he didn't care. He turned to leave, but found his elbow being grabbed; stopped.

"So that was the worst thing," Zuko continued. "But not going with you that day when you offered… that was the _stupidest_ thing I ever did." He released his hold on the other boy's arm, letting his hand drop. "I… I just thought that you should know."

When Sokka looked back, Zuko had turned away and was facing out towards the gaping canyon, pretending to look at the stars. Sokka looked at him for a long moment, remembering the prince he had been imprisoned with in the steel box, and the angry tormented boy who had chased him away.

So how come Sokka felt like the one who was a big jerk?

He looked towards the fire, noting the number of silhouettes still talking around it. The younger ones had already gone to sleep, but no one else was paying attention to their absence yet.

The darker silhouette of Zuko was still standing there, outlined by a smattering of stars. Sokka hesitated for just one more moment — before stepping up behind him, slowly wrapping his arms around the other boy from behind and hooking his chin over his shoulder.

Zuko didn't flinch, and leaned back against Sokka, pressing his back to his chest.

"Okay, maybe I was just a _little_ jealous about Katara… maybe," Sokka said, pressing his lips against the arch of Zuko's jaw.

"I might have been playing it up to get your attention… a little." Zuko's voice was like soft gravel. He twisted his head and their lips brushed once, twice before Zuko turned fully into a deep kiss.

It was unlike the rushed kissing, the angry crashing they had experienced before. Zuko tasted like a spicy sort of tea, and they gripped each other with a warm passion. But they couldn't stand here, like this. It would just take a certain nosy sister or a playfully curious Avatar to ruin it all. So Sokka pulled back and coaxed Zuko to sit behind what was left of the far wall of the fountain.

Once situated, he leaned over the other boy and kissed him again, his quick dark fingers finding the tie to Zuko's robe. How many times had he seen Zuko shirtless, firebending? There was no reason in Sokka's opinion — none at all why he should ever go with a top again.

Sokka was bent over him now, feeling a strange intoxicating mix of lust and power. He roamed his way down Zuko's body — part of him curious, watching in almost a logical sort of way what a touch here, a nip there would do… Zuko moaned — something breathy and dirty tickling at his ear, and the sound shot right down to Sokka's groin.

Zuko's hands were in his hair — undoing his wolftail and scraping with rough sensuality across his scalp, pulling him down for another deep kiss.

Sokka's pants had never felt so tight, so uncomfortable in his life. Sokka shifted, trying to ease the pressure, but suddenly Zuko's hand was there, tugging at the laces, pulling the fabric down below his waist. His knuckles brushed against the length of his erection. It was a lucky thing that Sokka's mouth was currently buried into the crook of Zuko's neck, because if his groan — completely involuntary as it was — were any louder, they surely would have been discovered.

Both boys froze anyway, suddenly aware of their positions: Zuko without his shirt, and Sokka pantless, together, like this…

Finally when they were sure there was no sound of approaching feet from the fireside, Sokka allowed himself to breathe again. "So," he whispered, meeting Zuko's golden eyes and dipping his hips a little to brush his erection against the other boy's thigh. "Carry on?"

Zuko smirked. "Take off your shirt," he said. His golden eyes seemed bright in the dim moonlight. "And turn around."

"W-what?" Sokka hissed, taken aback.

But Zuko was already pushing him back so he could sit up. Sokka felt like protesting again — he had a good idea what Zuko had in mind, and somehow he never thought he would be the one in that position. His words centered and died in his throat when Zuko, his eyes hard against his, was unbuckling his own pants. There was something sensual in the way the other boy seemed to roll his clothing off; something Sokka knew he didn't have when he lifted his tunic over his own head. Well, it didn't matter. It was off, and he was laying on his side with his back to him.

And now Zuko was behind him in a naked parody of before. Only now Zuko's erection fit just under the curve of Sokka's ass, and the firebender snuck a hand around, putting it firmly over his mouth. Sokka grunted a surprised protest.

"Shhh… I don't want to be interrupted," Zuko whispered, throwing a leg over one of Sokka's; it felt like he was covering him.

Sokka had to admit, there was something darkly arousing about all of this. Something exciting about not wanting to be caught, so close to the others that one loud sound could discover them both. Zuko held him firmly, kissing a line up the side of his neck, his other hand coming around to grip Sokka's erection and stroke.

He moaned — or would have — if Zuko's hand weren't clamped over his mouth. Instead he breathed out sharply, thrusting his hips out and then back again against Zuko's hardness.

Zuko made a strange noise in the back of his throat and bit lightly on Sokka's shoulder in an effort to muffle the sound. He wasn't the only one who needed to be quiet.

They found their rhythm quickly; broken only by breathy gasps and muffled grunts. Zuko twisted his hand slightly. Sokka arched his back, feeling the world go white around him for a moment. Zuko was prodding in, a little deeper with each thrust. It hurt, but not badly, and kept him just on this side of sanity.

Zuko had buried his head between Sokka's shoulder blades, and he could him panting; hot and excited, trying not to make a sound. It was impossible to make it last much longer. Zuko was first to break their rhythm. His hand, slick with pre-cum, twisted and stroked with rough force; the pad of his thumb stroking roughly the underside.

Sokka moaned against his hand, throwing his head back. His orgasm rocked his body, his fingernails tore at least one long scrape out of Zuko's arm. Another long deep thrust that put Zuko nearly completely inside, and he came as well, shuddering himself inside Sokka, gripping him for all he was worth.

They lay there like that for a few minutes, untangling from one another by stages until they lay together, heads propped up against the wall of the fountain, feeling the warm wind dry their clammy skin.

"I hope you're happy. I won't be able to take off my shirt for a week," Sokka complained, rolling his shoulders and thinking of the bruises that were sure to be on his back and shoulders from Zuko's teeth.

The other boy chuckled; a warm, startlingly rich sound. Impulsively Sokka turned, putting one hand on either side of the other boy, meeting Zuko's amused expression with a smirk of his own. He wanted to dip his head and make rough, loud gnawing sounds at the crook of Zuko's neck. He wanted to make him hunch and laugh again… maybe a little playfulness would turn into something more. They had all night.

But the air seemed to chill around them, and without knowing why their eyes met and something serious passed between their gazes.

"This can't happen again… can it?" Sokka asked, flatly.

Zuko's good eye widened. Then he let out a breath, shaking his head. "The comet is coming in less than a month, Sokka."

"I _know_ when the comet is coming. I'm the plan guy, remember?" He rolled away and sat up. Zuko followed, looking unsure yet unaccountably sad.

Before them, over the visible peak of the canyon, the night sky was dusted with stars. It was hard to believe something so sinister was coming … but it was.

Zuko sighed. "Look it's not… I want to do this properly, or not at all. If the Avatar— if Aang and the others found out about us right now, it'll take time away from training to deal it. Aang can't afford a setback. Not right now."

Sokka wanted to snap at him. Aang was an accepting kid… he would understand. Everyone else would, too given a little time.

Time, which they didn't have.

He ran his hands through his hair, loosening it from his band before retying it again in a neater knot. It was hard to think of a counter-argument when his body was sated with sex. After a few moments he concluded that there wasn't one. Zuko was right… winning this war had to come first. "Well," Sokka said, at last, "at least we'll always have our metal box."

Zuko blinked at him and then gave a low groan, tipping his head back against the cool stone. "Do you realize," he said, "how close we were to my uncle walking in on… that?"

"Hey! Don't forget my sister was there. I would have been scarred for life."

The other boy looked at him from the corner of his scarred eye, and Sokka gave a sheepish wince. "Don't give me that look. That's a Toph-style look."

The other boy flashed a smile, their eyes met again, and Sokka's stomach twisted itself up. He distracted himself by grabbing his pants and pulling them back on. He wasn't going to make a big deal of this. Zuko too, seemed to be flushed all over again, and they were silent as they hunted for the rest of their clothing.

"So…" Zuko said, than stopped, awkward. And suddenly there was nothing left to say between them.

They parted.

************

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 !-- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} --

**Next: And everything good happened in Fall.** **(Epilogue)**


	4. Fall

**Note: This is the last bit, and it's mostly a short epilogue. Thanks to those who have been following the story. Drop me a line if you liked it (or hey, if you didn't). And thanks to the marvelous JadePrince who gave me the prompt in the slash swap and the excuse to write this. :)**

**Fall: Air**

They met on the shop's private patio. Everyone was else — Aang, Katara, and Toph — were inside, laughing as Uncle entertained with well spun story. Katara and Aang were holding hands which had caused quite a few raised eyebrows and joking comments. But now the night was winding down; all the activity and laughter was behind them, and they were out in this silent patio overlooking the vista of Ba Sing Se, alone.

The hard promise they made each other a month before had been kept. There had been no more encounters; all focus had gone towards the war. Zuko had picked Katara to go face Azula with him, because she was the best one for the job. He trusted Sokka to stay smart, stay safe. Sokka had kept the other boy firmly out of his mind as he went about destroying an entire fleet of airships, turning what should have been a suicide mission into a grand victory.

Their eyes met. There was a slight blush on Zuko's pale cheek, a quirk of a smile on Sokka's face as if to say: _We did it, buddy. We survived. _

It was hard to say who moved first. Sokka turned slightly as if to face him. Zuko stepped in to close the distance. It was an embrace that ended in a kiss; arms wound around one another, breathing in the other's scent, each in taking the feel; the strength of the other boy.

There weren't any words. No confessions of love or overly sappy romance. They kissed under the sight of the new stars, over a city newly liberated, and before a new type of future full of peace and prosperity.

Later, there would be questions from their friends. Explanations. Now, as they finally drew back and Zuko raised his hand to cup Sokka's jaw, and Sokka gripped tighter around him. They kissed again.

Now… it was perfect.


End file.
